Agroecology and food sovereignty.
This regenerative agriculture method falls under the macroarea of Sustainability, within the category of Livestock Management and Ecosystem Regeneration, with the following measures:
Soil health restoration; biodiversity enhancement; agroecology; sustainable farming practices; carbon sequestration; water management; pasture regeneration; organic farming; ecological balance; ecosystem restoration; agroforestry.
Naturales del Sierro is the union of two family farms, Rancho San Francisco and Pozo del Rosal, of organic farming that are united under that name. Antonio Gamero explains that they develop an exploitation system “closing the nutrient cycles as much as possible, so that it is not necessary to introduce any external element into our farms.” Clear evidence of the importance they place on traceability.
Naturales del Sierro is the group of two family farms of organic farming, bordering and joined by the hill of El Sierro, in Morón de la Frontera. They develop an agrosilvopastoral farming system in which they produce food by closing nutrient cycles as much as possible, so that it is not necessary to introduce any external element into their farms. From the farm they offer a wide variety of organic products: chicken, chickpeas, lentils, wheat flour, honey, retinta veal and lamb. In Antonio’s own words: “It is not our intention to offer you the romanticism of a bucolic agriculture, (…) above all, we are part of an agropolitical project, from the moment we want to influence society by betting on a different model of agriculture and consumption”.
Naturales del Sierro is located in Morón de la Frontera, Seville, around the hill of El Sierro, which gives identity to the project. The landscape is marked by traditional farmland, pastures and areas of Mediterranean forest. The climate, with a Mediterranean influence with dry and hot summers, conditions agricultural and livestock practices. The farm maintains a balance between biodiversity and production, promoting soil regeneration and the autonomy of its systems. Its connection to local networks reinforces its commitment to food sovereignty and the exchange of traditional seeds.
Their regenerative agriculture project goes beyond sustainability in production, they want to influence politics and the globalist production model. As stated by Naturales del Sierro: “More and more people, peasants and consumers, are willing to modify the current system of food production and distribution, absurd, inefficient and selfish. For this reason, our pricing policy is aimed at facilitating the acquisition of our products by people who support related projects and to promote associationism in this regard. However, and of course, we respect those who do not agree with our ideology, and we understand that simply for obvious health reasons there are people who decide to consume organic food. We are convinced that this is a first step, and a challenge for us to convince them based on evidence.” They are committed to the relocation and diversification of production as a way of offering quality, guarantee and food sovereignty.
The fact that they are two mixed agricultural-livestock farms allows us to maximise all the existing natural resources, so that what is not usable for agricultural production is used by livestock. Likewise, the cattle themselves control the proliferation of weeds and fertilize each plot.
They carry out a three-year crop rotation system, with a third of the area being used for legumes (chickpeas, lentils, peas, broad beans and vetch), a third for cereals (durum wheat, soft wheat, oats, barley and triticale), and a third being left fallow in green or destined for fodder production (hay vetch-oats-triticale) depending on the quality of the plot. So in each plot, these three crop groups must pass in the order exposed. However, in organic farming, crop planning is always open to productive change, depending on environmental conditions.
From the beginning they believed in their project, through direct sales they found marketing channels in which they can sell their products at a fair price where they cover their production costs. They offer a local and quality product.
Sustainability: use of agroecological techniques that improve soil fertility and reduce environmental impact.
Autonomy: production of own seeds and feeding of livestock without depending on external inputs.
Biodiversity: recovery of traditional varieties and diversification of crops and livestock.
Greater effort and time: need for manual practices and more complex management without synthetic agrochemicals.
Lower short-term profitability: lower initial yields compared to conventional farming.
Difficulty of commercialization: competition with industrial products and limited access to mass markets.
The fact that they are two mixed agricultural-livestock farms allows us to maximise all the existing natural resources, so that what is not usable for agricultural production is used by livestock. Likewise, the cattle themselves control the proliferation of weeds and fertilize each plot.
They carry out a three-year crop rotation system, with a third of the area being used for legumes (chickpeas, lentils, peas, broad beans and vetch), a third for cereals (durum wheat, soft wheat, oats, barley and triticale), and a third being left fallow in green or destined for fodder production (hay vetch-oats-triticale) depending on the quality of the plot. So in each plot, these three crop groups must pass in the order exposed. However, in organic farming, crop planning is always open to productive change, depending on environmental conditions.
Agroecology principles and practices.
Seed conservation techniques.
Sustainable livestock management.
Climate adaptation strategies for farming.
Soil regeneration techniques.
Collaboration and knowledge exchange within local seed networks.
Autonomous seed selection for resilience.
Pasture management for diverse species.
Practical experience in self-sufficient farming systems.